


Those You Leave Behind

by fishfingersandjellybabies



Category: Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-04
Updated: 2016-04-04
Packaged: 2018-05-31 04:29:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6455914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fishfingersandjellybabies/pseuds/fishfingersandjellybabies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn’t him she would grieve for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Those You Leave Behind

**Author's Note:**

> A BvS fic, isn’t that different. Contains hardcore spoilers so. If you haven’t seen the film yet and don’t want to be spoiled A) you’re running out of time kid, go see the damn movie and B) don’t read this. Supplemental listening: “This Is My World” from the BvS soundtrack. This is trash and I don’t care, I have a lot of emotions on this scene and on these ladies.

She did not know him.

She knew _of_ him. Of course she did, _everyone_ knew of Superman. But she did not know _him_. Had only met him mere minutes ago.

And she regretted that fact. Regretted the fact that, now, she’d never get that chance to know him, either. They’d never be friends, never grab coffee. She’d never know the man behind that Super.

She watched, as Batman reached the body. Stood there, waiting. _Hoping_ , maybe, just a little. That Batman would find something she couldn’t see from her vantage point below.

But judging by what little of his face she _could_ see, she could tell her hope was for naught. That Superman was dead. Had died saving the city. Saving the world.

The world that _hated_ him.

She wasn’t sad. Because, again, she didn’t know him. Disappointed, maybe, but she knew better than anyone that you did not have war without casualties. And if nothing else, Superman had died an honorable death. If nothing else, she was _proud_ of him. Just as proud as if he had been one of her sisters back home.

She waited, as the Batman figured out what to do. _He_ was sad, she could see that. Guilty too, maybe. His shoulders were slumped, his frown a little deeper than it had been when she’d saved him…what, fifteen minutes ago? Twenty?

How much had changed in twenty minutes.

She was about to call to him. Help the Batman move the body, get it to somewhere more stable, when she heard the clatter of concrete. Heels on stone. And when she turned, she saw a woman.

She was soaking wet, and looked exhausted. Her eyes were red and puffy, like she’d already been crying. Those tired eyes were darting around wildly, searching desperately.

The woman looked at her, didn’t seem surprised to see her, then let her eyes dart naturally up to the slab above her. She had already been pale, but any remaining color she had drained out of her face instantly, as her eyes dropped back down.

She felt a sadness _now_. As the woman began shaking her head, tiny, agonized noises escaping her mouth. She felt as sadness _now_ , as Superman’s lover – and she didn’t know how she knew, she just _did_ – stepped forward, and pleaded with her eyes.

_Is he really…?_

Diana could only press her lips together, and bow her head, just slightly.

That was confirmation enough.

The woman let out a wail, but came forward anyway. Remained strong – as strong as she could be – as she stood at Diana’s side, and looked up towards that slab. Batman was carefully folding Superman’s sprawled arms, preparing to lift the body to give to them.

And as soon as he did. As soon as Superman was in Batman’s arms, the woman held her own up. Seemed prepared to take the brunt of Superman’s weight, all on her own.

And _that_ …made her sad.

Because she didn’t know Superman – but this woman did. This woman was sad, would be for ages. She might have just lost everything, Diana didn’t know. But here she was, just this human woman, willing to have the strength of a thousand men and attempt to carry a god.

Batman hesitated in handing her the body, glanced over at Diana, who stepped in immediately. Helped wrangle the body down off the slab, took most of the weight herself as she turned.

And she was proud of Superman, for what he’d done. But she was gentle with him, for the woman he left behind.

The woman’s strong façade started to crumble, then, as Diana laid Superman’s body down into her lap. Her tears were loud now, as she tenderly stroked his face and kissed his cheek. As she gathered his bulky frame into her thin arms, and held him for the final time.

She didn’t say anything, as the woman sobbed, or as Batman joined them. Just kept watch, kept guard over this woman. Over her sister. With the help of the Dark Knight, made sure no one _dared_ to try and interrupt her mourning.

She wasn’t sad about Superman’s death, no. She was proud of him, honored to have been able to fight at his side in his last battle.

But she was sad for this woman. She would grieve for this woman, and the pain Superman left her behind to deal with alone.

Because they were all powerful beings, with abilities and strength beyond belief. But no matter what powers, no matter what abilities, no matter what _century_ –

She sighed, tilted her head back to stare into the cloudy, night sky, and listened as the woman’s weeping echoed into the rubble around them.

– It was always the humans who loved them, who suffered the most.


End file.
